Monday, November 23, 2009

Yeah no long bike rides, no chlorine on my skin, and time for other things. Its weird. I miss getting ready for a race already. One thing I did learn in this my first week only running and lifting is how weak I am. When deciding on how much weight to use I decided to use my old very light weight. TOO HEAVY. I didn't think I was that weak. Gees, how did I function? Funny enough it seems like my body is thirsting for it. I feels good. I used to me Mr. Gym rat. I was very strong. Then I became obese and now trying to reverse all those poor habits. Here is how it went the last week:

Monday (last week)-Recovery run of 30 min and "core." Thanks for the new exercises everybody. I teach core exercises everyday and I thought may be the blog community could expand my knowledge base, and I was right. Thanks guys.

Sunday-Run 11 miles. I felt good. I started out wanting to go 6-9 or so miles but ended up going 11 to prepare for the LV 1/2 in 2 weeks. Very minimal soreness. Got into a groove I haven't been in during a run in a long time. I was happy with it.

Monday (today)-core only. Worked late, got some core in.

I will be playing with the organization of the workout days as I go. Changing the long run to sunday interrupted the end of last week and beginning of this week. I am hoping for some consistency. Even with the holiday I plan on this week being consistent. The fun group of runners I run with will be doing a 5K on Thanksgiving. Should be fun. QUOTE:

“Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix”

Christina Baldwin

or

“It's best to have failure happen early in life. It wakes up the Phoenix bird in you so you rise from the ashes.”

Monday, November 16, 2009

Refreshing to not pine over what training am I doing today and how do I eat to match my training, and boy I should get some sleep for my training....training...training...training. I got a swim in, a run, and a long softball tournament in. I also stayed up a little late, ate a little unconscious, and got to "participate" with the softball team which they loved. Apparently I have a boring streak, lol. In this last week I was able to evaluate what I want to do next. I want to do the LA marathon. Yes I step up running and continue my progression. I am going to work my "offseason" like a triathlete. I am thinking I will race all the same races as this year and crush all the times. May be I will throw in a few more races too. Perhaps, IM St. George in 2011 may be in order. I still am in pursuit of dropping 20-30 pounds. So my goals are forming. I am going to take it month by month. Between now and the new year I want to get stronger and leaner. Core 2 X week, legs, chest, back, hips, and some stability work all around will be my strength focus. Oh and there is that running thing. 3-4 X week of running. I want to get back into a regimented training schedule. Strength, running, and occasional swim/bike because I miss them already.

In other news, this was news around the Vegas triathlon community a few days after the race. check this out. I raced on a world championship course. Pretty cool. My fellow triathletes, are there any core exercises you prefer? QUOTE:

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”

Monday, November 9, 2009

In the days leading up to the race I felt like a high energy dog with no where to use all this pent up energy. I just knew any minute I was going to get into trouble with chewing on the couch or digging holes or something. I did not expect to sleep the night before but I did. I woke up with a sense of calm and confidence. However, since there are many details to consider as far as equipment and 2 transitions areas I was reluctant to let myself roll with that confidence. I get to the lake and I am greeted with very calm water, beautiful weather, and very well organized event. My plan was in action and I made the decision to let it all go and enjoy myself. Im ready. Lets do this.

SWIM

When I looked at the swim set up at the Lake I realized that the area between the buoys and the marina was very slim. That meant that if I am in the sprint to get through the bottleneck I may go out too fast and if I get lagged back then I might have a slow swim OR I could get into the mix. Buzzer goes off and I mixed it up baby. For triathlons that means the washing machine of arms, legs, water, and jockeying for position. I mixed it up. It was the first of my 4 races this year I had the confidence to stick my face in there and swim. I made people swim around me or through me. As i get through the bottle neck its a clear shot to the first buoy. I started to think as I swam my ass off. I thought about BoBs 3 words and I came up with my theme for the race. STRONG, MOXY, BELIEVE, (I added a 4th), and GRIND. I repeated it over and over. Its funny how that came to me and funny how those words dictated my behavior the rest of the day.

I like it when training translates to performance. The groove I find myself in occasionally came quite easy. I killed this swim. I was not afraid of anyone. I let myself go all out. I figured I would let it all hang out. When I sat down to discuss goals for the race, I decided that since I have routinely been around 50 min at this distance in training that I would set 45 min as my goal. The rest of the swim went very well. Sight, swim, and stick my face in there. I didnt "rest" like I have in other races and put my best foot forward. I exited the water ready for the bike. Im gonna have a good day.

1.2 mile swim in 44:09.

T1

My goal was to get nutrition, get a smidge of rest, and make sure that I have everything I need. The bike has been my hardest discipline to get up to par and I wanted to perform well. I had never been in a changing tent so I didnt know what to expect in there. I have never done an event like this so the entire day of nutrition would be a learning process. Out in 7:52, a little slower than I thought but for me this would not be a day of seconds and a few minutes.

Bike

I exit transition with the mindset of get to the run. Once I get to run I will make it just fine. There is a nice climb right out of transition so as I climb Im thinking boy I feel strong. My legs are fresh and I am going to get after it. This course if grueling. Many experienced triathletes around here questioned this as my first 1/2 iron. I wanted this one though. As I made it through my first checkpoint I am 15 minutes ahead. I take inventory and I feel great. I am climbing well and descending quickly. I am passing fitter looking people with much more elaborate bikes. The next checkpoint comes and I able to keep this pace. I look around and I realize that it is very hot. Id guess 80 degrees. Even though I am 30 miles in and feeling very strong will I be able to hold it? Then the cramping begins. Quads, hamstrings, and adductors slowly locking up. Uh oh. When I stand on the pedals they cramp. I dont have any climbing legs. The 3 sisters are OUT then. I didnt even attempt them. I felt so much better not even going there and it turned out to be a good race strategy. I ended up passing 4 guys that tried and failed to climb them. I didnt see them the rest of the day. Through 45 miles I am now a bit slow on my timeline. I dont have the high gear I need for speed, but I grind. I trained into this plan. Get off the river mountain loop trail in a position to grind it out. I have visualized this so many times that I am very relaxed knowing where I am going with this. STRONG. MOXY. BELEVE, GRIND. I am 15 min slower than I wanted to be at this time and I decide to take T2 very slow. Rest, cool off, let this sugar get to my legs. Regroup.

56 mile bike, 4:15:42

T2

Regroup. I am changing and I am considering my options as far as nutrition goes. What do I need? Water, gatorade, electrolytes, salt, and sugar. So this transition area took a lot longer than I wanted to. I thought if I rest now that will translate to turning these legs over to running legs. I was out in 8:19.

RUN

Just get to the run. Here I am on the run and now what. Im tired, crampy, hot and tired. Here I am on my most confident discipline and given my last race experience I can get through anything. This is nothing compared to that day. So I decided to enjoy it. Im gonna finish but in how long? Im not close to my goal time and it is an automatic PR, so enjoy it. There is not one flat surface on this whole course. Brutal. What was the worst part about it was that there were no spectators(except for MY people but I will get to them soon enough). I am slow for a 1/2er and the very fast full-ers were the only ones around. Translation, lonely. I ran as strong as I can, I showed some moxy and I didnt let the pain influence my experience, I believed that I belonged there, and I grinded out a very hilly course on a hot day after a lot activity. Was it slow? Yeah. I dont think I ran an entire mile without walking from start to finish. I would get about 1/2 to 3/4 a mile and start to cramp. The aid stations saved me. I would be good for a while then cramp. I spent the whole run in pain and cramping but I never quit. I have mentally visualized the silverman carpet now for a year. This was the first time on top of it. It was the culmenation of all my hard work. I earned it and I am proud I finished.

13.1 mile run: 2:55: 16.

Total: 8:11:17

WHAT CAN I DO BETTER?

Get fitter. Before that I need more strength. I am going to keep up the running and the time I spend on my fitness will not change (except for a little break). I will concentrate on strength building and running. 2010 will have some triathlons but it will have at least 1 marathon. May be multiple 1/2 Iron with a plan on Ironman in 2011? I dont know and I think it is too soon to decide. Faster 5K? faster sprint or olympic? I am proud of where I have come from but at the same time I am not content. I have some nutrition and health issues to work through since I did not lose a single NET pound in 2009. That influences my performance. I am not happy at the end of the age group/clydesdale list. May be a cycling coach? I need some training partners too. Long rides and long runs to run with.

THANK YOUS:

The volunteers were phenomenal. The race was well organized. The weather was awesome except that heat part. My friends and family literally lit up the race course. As far as I am concerned the support I received from them and having them in my corner is on par with my race. There was NO ONE out there except the "Gallaghers Groupies." The had a boom box, they sang, they danced, and they had many athletes comment how they changed the race for them too. They had a sign contest. They were flat out awesome. There is something to be said for them participating in my daily life and supporting me on a regular basis. Thank you guys, I could not ask for more support and I could not have finished with out you.

Karl (who you can get to from my list) is a huge source of support. He is always level headed and smart. His brain works so scientifically and is not as emotional as me. He helps me tremendously from a personal and performance standpoint. I would not have changed my life if it wasnt for his leadership. He is a model man, husband, father, physical therapist, and runner. We may just hook up for a relay some time.

My wife. She was the ring-leader for the groupies. She knew how much this meant to me and out did herself. She is my rock and my inspiration all year long. She put up with me when I made quirky decisions about fun vs training. She always supported me when I had to sacrifice. She had to sacrifice right along with me and she did it because she loves me. Every step of the way she has been there to encourage me and support me. I want her in my foxhole any day of the week. I know that I can count on her. I LOVE YOU honey. Quote:

"We live in deeds, not years: In thoughts not breaths; In feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs. He most lives Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best."

David Bailey

Whats important in life? Friends, family, and living life to the fullest. 1/2 Iron-CHECK.

Note: I am totally stealing Karls idea or he gave it to me....I have been thinking about changing it for a while. He just gave me the spark I needed.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Yes my 100th post. 1 week prior to my race. A few weeks ago I was questioning whether or not I love this longer distance type stuff and this weekend I am bored. In previous posts by my blogmates I chuckled at the thought of people blasting taper. I get it. I am a bit bored. I didnt even feel like I got anything done. Karl would say rest, take it easy, recover, the work is done, get ready for the desert. I can say that I am very nervous. Its not every day the thing you have been training for and secretly never thought you could do is upon you. My last open water swim and all I could think about was I cant wait for there to be 1000 other swimmers in this water with me. Sorry getting ahead of myself. Here is how the week went.

Monday-Rest

Tuesday-2 mile run in the wind and cold. Remember that weather talk last week? I jinxed it. The next week weather has been predicted and later I will fill you in on it. Softball too.

Wednesday-Had 25-30 mile bike planned but the weather had other plans. So I tossed in a spinerval workout of 30 min or so on the trainer. The last time I did this workout it was very difficult, this day I could have done it again.....EASY.

Thursday-3 mile run. Weather eased up some. Nice run.

Friday-Rest.

Saturday-15 mile bike/4 mile run brick. Went well. I resisted the urge to go faster, longer, and find a hill. Nice and easy. BOOOORING.

Sunday (today)- Long open swim. I woke up early and headed to the lake. 32 min swim. I am banking on the temperature being low next week so I thought I would get a cold swim in. Not that cold and water totally calm. Almost the best I have ever seen it. A joy to swim. I am anxious to see what the next weeks weather is going to be like. Lets check it.

Passing clouds. Pleasantly warm.77°F....If that stands it will do. Who am I kidding...that would ROCK. I swam in feb out at the lake and I justified it by saying it would be good experience for silverman. I may not need it. Im ready already, lets do this. I am not sure what my posting schedule will be like but I will have one more session of each discipline and then show up race day ready to rock, rested, and well nourished. Expo friday/saturday turn some bags in and race sunday. Here is this posts quote I found it while shopping of all places.

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

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About Me

A age grouper triathlete runner learning how to make the most out of everyday. These are my trials and tribulations along my journey to see what kind of triathlete/person I can be while making this a healthy and active planet.